


Put a Ring on it?

by Rini



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-02
Updated: 2015-11-02
Packaged: 2018-04-29 13:19:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5129039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rini/pseuds/Rini





	Put a Ring on it?

Stiles shifted through the stack of ungraded mid-term papers on his desk, groaning and dropping his forehead on the stack. He rolled his head slowly back and forth, tapping his pen on the desk in a bad imitation of rhythm. The sharp sound of a knock on his office door sent Stiles flailing his way to fully seated.  


“Can’t be as bad as all that, Stilinski,” teased Derek Hale, Stiles’ long-time crush and occasional co-professor when their respective specialities happened to cross paths (the two made sure they crossed paths more frequently than not whenever they could convince the department head to submit for those courses). He was also a dear friend and someone who was so painfully straight that Stiles had long ago resigned himself to the sidelines of Derek’s life.  


“You have no idea, Hale,” Stiles insisted. “Seriously, no idea. You know how much I hate Freshman Comp and the first big project of the year. These kids don’t even half try sometimes.”  


Derek laughed and nodded. “Yeah, just another year or two and you’ll be out from under those classes. Just have to get some tenure.” He leaned in Stiles’ doorway, arms cross loosely over his chest, causing the muscles in his biceps to bulge in a way that made Stiles’ mouth water. “And, I do have an idea. You know that I taught that course for four years.”  


Stiles frowned at Derek. “C’mon man, you’re supposed to indulge my dramatics. It’s in the rules of our friendship!” he said, fiddling with the engraved silver band on his right hand, a new distraction for him.  


Snorting at Stiles’ theatrics, Derek shook his head and arched an eyebrow. “New ring?” he asked.  


Realizing what he was doing, Stiles flushed bright red and tucked his hand under the desk. He was shocked that he’d actually forgotten he was wearing and cursed under his breath that he’d not managed to hide it from sight. “Uh yeah,” he said, rubbing his left hand over the back of his neck. “It’s a gift. From Scott.” He wasn’t really prepared to talk about it and when he looked up he was confused by the rapid-fire changes that seemed to go over Derek’s face before he fell back into a neutral, almost blank expression Stiles hadn’t seen on his face in nearly three years - at least not aimed at him in any real way once Derek had relented and they had become friends.  


“Ah, well I’ll let you get back to it,” Derek said, voice clipped and devoid of its usual warmth when he straightened and disappeared from Stiles’ office before Stiles could get another word in edgewise.  


Another groan and Stiles dropped his head back down on his desk. The day was just not his day.

~~~~~

Scott and Stiles sat at the local Starbucks, Stiles doing more marking while mainlining caffeine and Scott spent the time reading up on some veterinary medical journals from work that he rarely ever had time to read. Stiles could feel Scott’s eyes on him, could tell his friend wanted to speak, to open up a conversation about Stiles’ bad mood, but he just didn’t want to engage. Didn’t want to talk to his best friend about the way that Derek had withdrawn since their conversation three days ago. He didn’t want, couldn’t bring himself to whine at his best friend and now, fiance, about the guy said friend knew he was in love with.  


“Stiles,” Scott finally said, breaking the unspoken bro-code and ignoring the way that Stiles was studiously ignoring him. “What’s up man? You’ve been upset for days. I thought this was what you wanted.”  


Startled by Scott’s statement, Stiles dropped his pen and stared. “Dude, Scotty, of course it is. I just… ugh, I really don’t want to talk about what’s wrong.”  


Scott rolled his eyes, tossed his journal down and crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s about Derek, isn’t it?”  


Stiles blushed hotly and dropped his eyes. “Yeah. Can we not talk about it?”  


“No, if it’s upsetting you, we need to talk about it.” Scott insisted with his usual earnestness. “What’s going on?”  


“He’s not talking to me,” Stiles said, relenting. He knew better than to try and resist Scott when he was insistent. “I’ve emailed him about the course we’re proposing for next semester. I’ve tried texting and calling and he’s just ignoring me. He’s been cold to me for a bit now and I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what I did.”  


Scott frowned at Stiles, nose wrinkling when he tipped his head. “That doesn’t sound like him. I mean, from what I’ve seen and heard, he’s not usually that talkative.... but he’s never been aloof with you before. Right?”  


Stiles dropped his head to the table, shaking it and whining even though he swore he wouldn’t. “Noooo, never. I just don’t get it.  


“Well, what happened just before it happened? Anything new? Did you say something? Did you not do something you were supposed to do?” Scott listed all the things Stiles had already thought.  


“Nothing, man. I mean, it was the day after you and I came back from home, but I can’t think of anything and if it was something I didn’t do, Derek would have been all over that. He doesn’t let that shit slide.” Stiles lifted his head again and leaned back. “I’ve come up blank on everything.”  


Scott shook his head, the look on his fact making Stiles feel like he missed something. Something important. “You’re such an idiot.”  


Stiles looked at Scott with haunted eyes. “What?! What the hell did you just realize that I’ve been unable to figure out?”  


“I’ve been telling you forever that I thought you should ask him out,” Scott said, laughing and shaking his head. “You say this all started right after we came back from home, right? Can you think of anything that’s different since then?”  


“Nothing’s changed,” Stiles said, thinking of work and their place. Literally everything in his life was as it was and Stiles was finally just tired of all of this. “Seriously, man. If you know what it is, can you just tell me?”  


Scott sighed, like he was deeply disappointed in Stiles. “Look at your hand, Stiles.”  


Stiles looked down, staring at his hands, not seeing what Scott was getting at. He lifted the hands, finger twirling the ring when his eyes widened. “Oh fuck,” he breathed, twisting the ring around his finger and remembering with a bright flash of clarity the moment Derek had asked him about it. “Yeah, Derek saw me playing with it.”  


“Yeah and I bet you didn’t think to explain anything to him, did you?” Scott asked, voice filled with the quiet exasperation that only Stiles could pull from him.  


“What’s there to tell?” Stiles asked, stubborn to the end. “He saw it and he knows what it means… and he’s _not_ wrong, Scott. We are engaged now.”  


Sighing, frustration evident in the sounds escaping him, Scott stood up, grabbed his journal and hit Stiles over the head with it. “And, it never occurred to you to talk to him? To find him and tell him about our agreement?”  


“Hey!” Stiles yelled, batting at the journal. “Why would I do that, Scott? It’s not like I want the whole campus to know that you’re marrying me out of pity.”  
Scott rolled his eyes. “It isn’t pity, Stiles… but it’s also not what you really want. You want Derek. And, frankly, I think if you don’t take this chance, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life.”  


Stiles scowled at his best friend, not daring to hope that Scott might be right about Derek and definitely not wanting to think that his buddy might be right about the rest of it all.  


“Just, Stiles… think about it. Go see him. Don’t let this all happen because you weren’t willing to talk,” Scott shook his head again, rubbed his hand over Stiles’ head and strode out the door without another look back. It was only as he was walking that Stiles could see Scott wasn’t wearing his own ring. He frowned and toyed with his again before shoving it all away to finish his work off. 

~~~~~

Stiles loitered outside Derek’s office on campus. He knew the other man’s office hours nearly as well as his own and he was prepared to lie in wait for the next hour if he had to, though he really, really hoped it wouldn’t come down to that. When the door opened and Derek ushered a student out, Stiles sucked in a breath at both how good he looked and how he seemed to exude an air of weariness. It was a surprising combo, but then Stiles had long ago realized that he pretty much found Derek attractive at all times in all ways.  


“Hey, Professor Hale,” he said, waiting until the student had started down the hall. “A word, please.” Stiles didn’t really wait for a response, crossing the hall and walking purposefully in hopes that Derek would just back up and let him in.  


When Derek stayed put, Stiles had to pull himself up short, flailing slightly and tilting to glare slightly in hopes Derek would move. “Please, Hale. Derek,” he said, eyes wide. “I got this… please talk to me.” He waived the slip around that was a notice from his department head that Derek was pulling out of their joint course.  


“There’s nothing to talk about. I just realized that I wouldn’t have time to do the course this semester. Work load would be too heavy,” Derek said, voice firm and colder than even two weeks prior. He stepped back only to start to close the door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should get to grading.”  


Stiles threw his hand out to stop the door, wedging himself into the only opening Derek had given him. “Please. Derek. Please just give me ten. I just… I respect your decision, but I need to understand.” He didn’t care if he was begging. Derek, this, all of it was worth it.  


Derek sighed and let the door swing open, causing Stiles to stumble. “Fine. You’ve got ten, but then I really need to get back to my grading.” He crossed to his desk and leaned back, ass propped right on the edge. “What is there to understand? I’m too busy.”  


“Derek. You wanted this as much as I did up to two weeks ago,” Stiles argued. “You planned it into your work and schedule just as I did. What happened? What changed?”  


“I don’t think our working together on a course is a good idea, Stiles,” Derek said. “You said you respected the decision, so why are we still discussing it?”  


Sighing, Stiles slumped where he stood, raking his hands through his hair. “Because I don’t understand. What happened to our friendship? Our professional relationship? I mean, in the past two weeks I feel like my colleague… no, fuck that. I feel like my friend has just vanished behind this icy exterior. What the hell gives?”  


Derek snorted, jaw clenching. “Stiles.” He stopped, almost as though he couldn’t decide what he wanted to say.  


Stiles moved forward. “What? Please, just tell me.”  


“Just go Stiles,” Derek said. “I’ve formally withdrawn my interest in the course.”  


Slumping again, Stiles nodded. “Yeah, sure. Whatever you want.” He moved to the door, opening it and turning back to Derek, eyes sad and body language defeated. “I just wish I knew what I did to make you hate me. I really thought we were friends...that we were going to do amazing things for this place.” He looked down and sighed, letting himself out and closing the door softly behind him. 

~~~~~

Stiles sat in his favorite cafe, grading papers and doing his best to ignore how his entire life had fallen apart in the span of a semester. His phone buzzed and Stiles dug it out of his pocket, signing and smiling softly at the picture of Scott and Kira, faces smushed together and Kira’s hand with a sparkly diamond in front of her. He shot back a “congrats” text and went back to his work. After his disastrous talk with Derek, Stiles had returned back to the apartment he shared with Scott only to find Kira sitting on the couch crying her eyes out. He’d sat next to her and offered her a hug, feeling like the worst person in the world when he realized that she was crying because Scott had finally told her about their agreement.  


Kira had turned such a sad look on him and he’d just shaken his head. None of them had realized all of the feelings swirling around, the fact that Scott and Kira had been falling deeper and deeper in love with Stiles completely unaware. He’d felt like such a selfish, blind ass and had assured Kira that Scott wasn’t taken or spoken for… that he was just a damn good friend who was willing to do what his friends needed and thought they wanted. When Scott had gotten back home, Stiles had handed him back the ring, given him a huge hug and disappeared to let them talk. When he’d come out the next morning, Kira was making breakfast and Scott was grinning ear-to-ear. It hadn’t taken him long to tell Scott he was going to move out between terms.  


When the final paper was graded, Stiles smiled regretfully and began to pack his stuff up. He had just slid the last of his things into his backpack and stood when he turned to see Derek standing near him. Stiles offered a small, fleeting smile and pulled his bag on his shoulders. “Table’s all yours, Hale,” he said, moving around Derek toward the door.  


“Why’s your name not on the schedule next term?” Derek asked, words tight like he’d not meant to actually say them.  


“I’m taking the term off,” Stiles said softly. “Have a good holiday… and next term.” He pulled the door open.  


Derek huffed, stopping Stiles from stepping outside. “Why?”  


Stiles signed and turned on Derek with a scowl. “None of your fucking business, actually.” He shrugged Derek’s hand off him. “In fact, you lost any right to ask me anything when you cut ties two months ago.”  


“Stiles,” Derek said, the word soft and almost pleading. “I’m sorry. You’re right… I have no right. But, I was worried when I didn’t see you on the schedule. It was a surprise. I never thought you’d walk away.”  


“Oh fuck you, Hale,” Stiles said, glaring at him full force. He rubbed his hand over his head, ruffling his hair. “You think it was an easy decision? God no… but, a lot of the term lost its appeal when my plans fell apart. I don’t have a place to live and, frankly, any reason left to stay here. So, I’m headed home to lick my wounds and figure out my life. That what you wanted to hear? You happy?” He stepped back, realizing that he’d backed Derek up a few steps with his vehemence.  


Derek shook head head. “No, of course not. Stiles, what happened? What do you mean you don’t have a place to live? Where’s Scott?”  


Stiles laughed and shook his head. “Scott is happily engaged to the apparent love of his life and will be living with his wife-to-be in another week. There’s no place for me in their house… nor would I want there to be. With nothing left in town, I figured it’d be a good time to start over. I’m probably going to look into a position near my hometown… near my dad.”  


“What do you mean he’s engaged?” Derek said, voice low and violent sounding. “What the fuck happened to him giving you a goddamn ring?!”  


“That was a ridiculous, foolish, and poorly managed round of decision-making on both our parts,” Stiles said with a laugh and an exasperated shake of his head. “We’d made an agreement in junior high… back before girlfriends, boyfriends and life showed us we’d be anything but those lonely, dorks. We said we’d get married when I hit thirty… if we were still single. And, well, my thirtieth hit three months ago. Sure enough, Scott woke me up with a ring and a smile… none of us knew Kira was madly in love with him and, well, Scott had said he wasn’t going to break a promise to me,” Stiles said. “Stupid ass… almost cost him Kira and that would have been a tragedy.”  


Derek stood there, gaping at Stiles. “So, you’re not in love with Scott?” he asked stupidly.  


“Fuck no,” Stiles said. “I think he really did it to wake me up. He was trying to show me that my heart was already taken.” Sighing when he remembered that Derek didn’t care about him and his heart being taken was just one more thing he was going to have to overcome in the following months.  


“Taken?” Derek parroted back. “By whom?”  


Stiles sighed and shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. He doesn’t feel the same. _That_ is entirely evident. Anyway, have a good break Derek.” Stiles backed off again, turning and heading to the door one last time.  


“Stiles,” Derek said, voice urgent. “Please don’t walk out that door. I owe you an explanation.” 

~~~~~

Epilogue

Stiles unlocked the door to his, _no their_ , new apartment, smiling wide when the door slid open easily. He put his bag on the floor, toed off his shoes, hung his coat and sniffed the air. “Smells good,” he called out, turning and heading down the hall toward the kitchen.  


Derek poked his head out the door, leaning in and pressing a light kiss to Stiles’ lips. “Thanks, just something simple for dinner. What time’s your dad coming up again?” He backed up and moved across the kitchen, Stiles staring at his ass the whole way.  


“Uh, we got like an hour,” Stiles said, suddenly twitchy and nervous about the Sheriff meeting Derek for the first time. “Crap, do I need to do anything? Cleaning anything? Make anything?” His voice rose with each question, nearing hysteria with each one.  


“No,” Derek said, crossing back over after he turned off the stovetop burner. “Everything’s exactly as it should be,” he said, pulling Stiles into his arms and nuzzling at his temple before dragging his lips lightly down the side of Stiles’ face to his mouth.  


Stiles hummed and opened to Derek’s kiss, arms coming up to circle his neck and tug them both closer together. “Hmmm, I could get used to this,” he said softly, pulling back only enough to look into Derek’s eyes before pressing forward for another kiss. “I think I like coming home to you.”  


“And I love having you come home to our place,” Derek said. “I feel like we’ve been waiting for this forever.”  


“Yeah, it was a bumpy ride… but we made it, Der,” Stiles said, smiling and brushing their noses together. “Now, how about you show me just how much you love me coming home. I believe you said we have an hour.” He wiggled his eyebrows, making Derek laugh.  


“You’re incorrigible,” Derek said, pressing a kiss to Stiles’ lips before hefting him up and carrying toward their bed.


End file.
